April 20th, 2016

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​The Feather
This is the second of my stories I have chosen to share on my blog.  It is historical fiction.  I would love to hear your comments positive or negative.  I hope you enjoy it.  Sincerely, Canita
​By Canita M. Prough
​Copyright 2016

​It was my tenth season of pinyon harvest when I woke to blood on my blanket.  It was something I had been told about.  It was the time of my becoming a Mogo’ne, woman.  When I saw the blood on my blanket I rolled it up and took it to the river.  I found a place where the river bank had a ravine where I could hide.  I knew that all the sisters around my age had this same thing happen to them; it was a time when we were considered to have special powers.  Grandma had told me that if we touch a warrior during this time we can make him like a woman, that he would become weak.  The biggest, strongest of warrior who could kill wild, ferocious animals with their bare hands would turn pale at the thought of being near or seeing even the smallest of women during this time. I did not want to cause some warrior to go weak.  I was to go to Grandmother who cared for the wikiups, summer shelter’s and women cycle shelter, she would tell me what to do. Grandmother had gone through years of training to learn how to run the wikiups while the women used them and instructing the younger women in their Time of Flower, menstrual cycle.  She had been doing it as long as I could remember.  Grandmother was gentle and kind.  I knew I had nothing to fear she would teach me how to cleanse myself, offer prayers to buha, People’s Father and the other things that were done in the wikiups.  Buha uses the wolf and the coyote to speak to us.  The wolf was the good power and benefits mankind.  The coyote was mischievous or bad power, he upsets wolf’s plans and will sometimes even do good.

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id not want to be seen. Grandmother was standing in the flap of the wikiup.  I walked up to her and told her I had found blood on my blanket.  She placed her hand on my shoulder and led me into the wikiup.  There were two other mothers there.  Grandmother took me to the side, she helped me change from my soiled apron, then showed me how to lift my apron and sit upon the flat heated rocks.  She told me that each woman’s time of uncleanness was a different length.  Some women’s time was four days and some up to seven days. If it was more than seven days, there could be some sickness.  I was to come to the wikiup when I started to bleed and should not leave and return to my karnee, winter shelter until bleeding stopped, because it was messy and I was unclean.  The only times I was allowed out of the wikiups area was to run east at sunrise welcoming the day and west at sunset to say good-bye to the sun. While I was in the wikiup I was to drink only warm water, eat only little amounts of food, food made only from seeds and eat no food from animals.  We were not allowed to use salt in or on the cakes.  I was to bring cakes once a month to the wikiups during the time when I was not bleeding.  The cakes were shared with the mothers in the wikiups, they would do the same when I was in the wikiup.  This was something I had heard the Mothers talk about.  Some of the Mothers made good cakes and others Mothers cakes would fall apart, be very dry or burned. I hoped the person who made the cakes I was to eat was good at making cakes.  I would need to make more cakes so that my cakes are the ones that the Mothers would praise.  In the Paiute culture the young are to keep silent and wisdom comes with experience.  While in the wikiups I could listen to the Mothers talk of birthing, raising their children and other things, but not allowed to talk.  Later, after I married, I would have the knowledge and be able to talk.  I was not to touch my hair or face with my hand.  If I had an itch that could not be ignored.  I was to use a stick to scratch it and to pat my hair down.  Grandmother showed me many ways in which to offer prayers.  I could give up a cake or all the cakes for the day, lie still and think on good things, I could just sit on the rocks and think on good things. I could sit or lie and say prayers or sing softly.  I could sleep under the dream catcher and allow its positive dreams to slip down onto my head.  My sleeps were filled with making rouge, grease paint and twine from wee-pah, milkweed.  As we were making the grease paint the Mothers talked about the poor Shoshoni who did not know the difference between the Cinnabar and the Limonite.  It seems that some of the Shoshoni died from mercury poisoning when they put their hands to their mouths after painting with the Cinnabar.  They said, they died because they were trying to imitate the Paiutes. After we finished making the grease paint we were allowed us  the grease to draw designs on our bodies.  During the day we were to keep the fires burning, in the cool of the evening, we would collect wood and draw water for the next day.  The second day was easier for I finally relaxed, I had not realized how uneasy I was about this change.  I also worried about Momma.  I usually helped her with the gathering. I had not told her about the blood.  When I told Grandmother about my worries, she told me she had notified Momma that I was in the wikiups.  She said that Momma had smiled when she had told her.  I knew Momma was smiling because it meant that my time of marrying and having children was closer.

​After my fourth sleep in the wikiups there was a ceremony for me.  Momma came for the ceremony, she told me that she missed me.  They washed me in cold water and dressed me in new clothes. Then my face was painted red.  Red means faith, beauty and happiness.  My hair was cut signifying that the direction in my Path of Life was changing and that I was now clean.   As my hair was being cut, Momma carefully caught each hair, placed into a pouch and told me how proud she was of me. The next full moon, I would take my hair to burn, showing that my old self ended and my new self-had begun.  They had me eat animal meat and Sweet Flag, a bitter herb, which helps one to center their energy, they told me to chew the Sweet Flag then spit it into the fire.  Then Momma did something that was unusual in the ceremonies, she gave me a gift. I was so excited about getting a gift.  She held it behind her back and slowly pulled it around in front of her. It was the longest, most beautiful, feather I had ever seen.  It reached from my hand to my elbow. It was a rusty brown with black stripes and white arrows pointing toward the vane.  The feather was slender and thick with barbs, there was not a notch on it.  It came to a point on one end and there were soft, curly feathers along the quill.  It was a feather from a pheasant.  Most girls got their feathers in their twelfth year so this was a real treat.  I knew my father had traded for it because no pheasants live in this area.  I knew about pheasants because my father told me about seeing them on one his trading journeys.  Had Father thought of me on his trading journey?  My body grew warm to think that Father had thought of me. I loved the feather.  I knew I had to keep it safe because we only wore feathers in our hair when we went to gatherings.  In our daily gathering we wore hats which we have woven.  Momma had begun to teach me to weave my own hat.

​My time in the wikiups was four sleeps the first time.  Grandmother warned me that the length of time could change, but that I was to come to the wikiups for no less than four sleeps.  I could gain or lose weight, get married, have a baby, get sick or just get another season older and that could change my time.  I was so glad to be free to be active again. To run about the camp talking to the sisters and the little ones.  It was good to breathe the clean air, which was starting to hold the cold.  I missed the warmth of the wikiups, but not the smell.  I knew that putting on my hat and ka-wan, conical burden basket would help me to stay warm.
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When I arrived back at our karnee I took the feather and wrapped it loosely in a skin and laid it next to the edge of the karnee where I slept. That night I laid for hours thinking about wearing that lovely feather at the next gathering.  Momma would twist my hair into those tight buns and then we would put the feather at the crown of my head.  I will start right away collecting quail afterfeathers to put with it.  They would match the coloring of the pheasant feather so well.  The black dots on the quail feathers and the black stripes on the pheasant feather would be a balanced design. I could hardly wait until the next gathering.

​I had been very careful with my feather.  I asked Grandfather Tro-Kay to help me make a way to shelter the feather.  He had me bring the feather to him.  He looked it over, told me how pretty the feather was and about the bird from which it came.  He imitated the sound the that bird makes and the noise it makes as it flies.  He helped me find two willow sticks that he split. Then showed me to use sagebrush bark strips to tie the sticks together to keep the feather flat and straight. He told me not tie it too tight or I might crush the shaft.  I had not slept well for two sleeps before the shelter was made for the feather. I was fearful that I would bend or break it.  Afterwards, I felt sure that it was sheltered from being bent or broken.    
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Momma taught me how to clean, wring the skins and then how to stretch them to make an apron or robe.  She said I had grown a hand since the last gathering, so we would need to make a skirt.  It would be the first time I had the chance to wear my feather.  Our next gathering was in a few sleeps. Our gathering days could last from ten, ten and two sleeps to two moons depending on the way the harvest was going.  We would be going south for the cui-ci gathering.  The Mothers and Momma have been busy making nets. Momma had begun teaching me how to weave the fishing nets from strings made from sagebrush and roots.  I could make small patches of net, but my weave was not as tight as it would become in the years to come.  I would need to strengthen my fingers, wear callouses on my hands, and learn the right strength to use to make a tight, strong netting.  The Fathers had been hurriedly making arrows, twisting and rolling fibers from tough plants to make the string needed for the nets.  It was a time of much to do, but it went quickly because we were all so busy.

​I was getting so excited about this gathering, because I was allowed to dance in the courting nuga.  It would be the first time a brave could look on me as a possible mate.  I prayed that a young, strong brave would look at and want me.   I wanted him to be straight like my feather and taller than me.  I wanted him to have long arms, strong hands and to be brave.  I hoped he knew how to trap, fish and gather to provide well for us.  I heard the sisters who had danced the courting nuga, during the rabbit drive, talking of young braves that they had danced with and hoped would bring their blankets to their karnee this gathering.  

My people were the Fish Eaters or the “cui-ci,” The cui-ci was a strange looking suckerfish found in Pyramid Lake, which was our favored base camp. We live around Pyramid Lake and eat the cui-ci that is how we came to get this name.  We roamed an area that covered most of Nevada to the east, went north into Utah and Oregon, south into Arizona and west half way across California.  Our paths made a shape similar to the outline of the continent of Africa.  We have been known by many names; such as the Paiute, Kuyuidika, Snake, Paviotso and Numu.  Our Chief was Winnemucca the Younger or Po-i-to.  Chief Winnemucca the Younger was in his prime of his life.  His son Natchez would be Chief of my people when Old Chief Winnemucca or Tro-kay dies.  When Chief Winnemucca the younger had gone west, we stayed behind with Natchez.  Natchez was around more than Old Chief Winnemucca so he was the leader who made me feel sheltered.  He has beautiful, kind eyes and was a strong leader.  

We would be joining with the Moapa clan as we traveled south to the Great Green River Water, Colorado River. We traveled one sleep, arriving as the sun set at the Moapa camp.  They were all packed and ready to travel when we arrived.  We greeted them, ate and slept then at tabuaggena, dawn we began our journey southeast.  It would take us another moons journey east to arrive at the Great Green River Water for the gathering.

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​The first sleep of the gathering was spent digging pits, burying poles to set up the karnees, building the dance corral, building fire pits, unraveling nets, and as the sun sets we begin greeting family.  My work for the day was building the fire pits and then the sisters and I were sent to collect some of the local berries.  Because we would be starting the ceremony this evening I helped in the collection of the firewood and water for our next sleep. My favorite thing during this time was gathering berries with the sisters from the Moapa clan and catching up on the news.  Shortly after the high sun falls, preparations began: the women began washing their hair and pull them into tight buns.  The new aprons, skirts, collars, broadcloths and robes were taken from the packs.   At last, I unpacked my pheasant feather and Momma placed it among the quail feathers in the bun at the crown my head.  I asked her to push it deep down the back of my head so I would not lose it during the dance.  I could feel the quill as it slid down to rest at back of my head. 

The chanters and rattlers were in the center of the corral and just as the sun set they started to chant and shake their dried gourds.  I had practiced the dances for many seasons, but this would be the first time I had the chance to do it as a woman and knew that there could be braves and warriors watching.  It is a serious matter to be at our best during this time. I stepped out of our karnee and headed to the corral. 
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Before sunset, they had begun calling people to the corral.   A small group of people started the round nuga, the one in the lead had deer hooves, filled with the dried pits from seeds, tied around the top of his moccasins which made a beautiful sound as he stamped in time. The people followed his beat. The happier the people became the higher their steps would become.  They danced around in a big circle, counter-clockwise, then they stopped in front of someone, asked them to join the nuga, the response depended on their reply.  The men were carrying their bows and arrows and chanting “Shoot him!” “Shoot him!” if the person chose not join the dance they pretended to attack him.  This was all done in fun.  Eventually everyone joined in the round nuga.  Later, they would begin the courting nuga.  This was the first time I would dance in the courting nuga.  I hoped the leader knew I have become of age.

​At first I concentrated on the steps, making sure my rhythm was good and that my foot was positioned in the right direction. Then I began to relax and allow the rhythm to take me to a safe place.  I laughed, sang, and danced for hours.  In the beginning I had tried to watch and see if anyone was looking at me.  After a while, I just enjoyed the release the nuga gave.  I danced until I could dance no more.  There were still dancers, the fires were roaring and the sparks were flying as I quietly went back to our karnee and began to take down my hair.  This is when I found that I had lost the feather!  The quail feathers were there, but the long, sleek pheasant feather was missing.  I had danced the feather out of my hair and had not even missed it.  I went immediately back to the corral and began searching for the feather.  As the dancers began to leave they would ask me what I was searching for and they would search for a little while then move on to their karnees. I must have looked for hours for the fires had completely died and the last dancers had left, when I finally gave up and returned our karnee.  I had started to cry when I was finally alone, but once I laid down I really began to cry.  Not loudly, for this was not our way, but I shed a lot of tears.   When I could cry no more, I finally gave in to sleep.  When I woke the next morning my blanket was wet from my tears.  I asked Momma if she had seen my feather, thinking perhaps she had seen me lose it and had saved it for me.  She had not noticed my loss.  She tried to comfort me by telling me that many had lost feathers during dances. I spent much time looking behind karnees, in the bushes, in the ravines, on the shores of the water.  I never found the feather.  I was sure that if someone had found it they would know it was special and try to find to whom it belonged.  I decided, the wind must have caught the feather and blown it far out onto the Great Green River Water.

​On the third sleep of the gathering, when the cui-ci started jumping out of the water the warriors headed to the Great Green River Water and began fishing.  Mothers began preparing food and to set up the poles to dry the cui-ci.  We stayed on the Great Green River water for one full moon.  I did not join in the nuga again this gathering for I did not feel like dancing because I had lost my feather.  I keep occupied with the fishing, cooking, cleaning and drying the cui-ci.  I was tired after a day’s work.  The nugas went on nightly without me.  Then came the sleep when we packed our ka-wans bulging with dried cui-ci for the summer and headed north to Pyramid Lake.

Upon returning to Pyramid Lake, my life resumed to making nets, gathering and drying berries, learning to cook, pulling pliable green tule and making aprons. One day, Momma came to me and with a hug said, “life goes on without feathers.”  She told me she would help me look for a big quail or turkey feather.  She said she would ask father to watch for a good feather on his next trading journey.  It was another moon before I felt like looking for a new feather.  

Momma taught me how to make moccasins that summer and how to tie together the sagebrush and green tule to make thatches for the karnees.  I grew about another hand that summer.  I now came to my Momma’s shoulder.  Momma and I did find a turkey feather.  It was pretty for a turkey feather, but I sure missed my pheasant feather.  There were a couple of times I asked Momma to twist my hair into the bun so I could practice keeping my feather in my hair as I danced.  I would stop every once in a while during nuga and check to see if I could feel it. Not once did I lose my feather.
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The next gathering, when we journeyed one moon to the west.  This gathering was in the gypsum sitting, mountains where the pinyon trees are in abundance.  Our gatherings are set by what food was available at the time.  Scouts are sent out to check on the harvest, upon their return we have a celebration to thank, buha and pray for the next season.  It was decided then, where we were head next.

​I was now in my eleventh season of pinyon harvest.   We traveled to the gypsum sitting called Pine Nut Mountain. Here the pinyon trees are thick, the cones were starting to turn green and the time of harvest was upon us.  The Moapa clan will be joining us again for this gathering.  We arrived at the gypsum sitting seven sleeps before the pinyon cones were ready.  During this time, we celebrated the first fruit, prayed to buha for a great harvest, paid respect to the great pinyon trees and did the round nuga.  Each night, I danced and each night I returned to our karnee with my feathers.
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When the cones turned green the warriors began shaking them from the trees.  Mothers, sisters and children all gathered the cones and place them in the woven ka-wans.  We took the ka-wans full of cones back to the fires where the yattahs, flat baskets were covered and kept near the fire.  The cones dried and cracked, then the nuts were shaken or picked from the cones and dried on the fires.  Soon there were lots of pitch lined skins full of blackened pinyon nuts.  One full moon was given to the gathering of the first fruit.

​The next gathering the other clans came to our desert.  This was the season of the rabbit drives.  It was during this gathering that I caught a young brave watching me.  I first noticed it on the sleep when I went to the stream to get water.  He was on the other side of the stream a little to the north.  I was dipping the water into my yattah when I felt someone looking at me.  When I looked up I saw him just standing there looking down on me.  He was watching what I was doing and how I was doing it.  He was about the same tall as me.   His thick, black hair hung to his collarbone, it was almost long enough to begin the two braids that were worn by the warriors.  He had a head-band that held one turkey feather as he had not yet earned his pita, eagle feathers for being a strong swimmer.  He was holding a bow and arrows in his hands and he just stood there, looking.   I knew his name was Detsin which mean “He-is-so.”  He was the youngest son of Chief Niyol of the Moapa clan.  He was two pinyon seasons or so more than I.  He was good to look on, but he would not talk to sisters.  I had overheard several sisters saying that they had tried to get him to speak, but he refused to speak.  His sister said that he talked, but he had not spoken to a sister or brought his blanket to a karnee for courting.  Was he interested in me or was he just curious?  The next courting dance, I would tap on his shoulder to see if he would dance with me.  The time of dancing was over for this gathering so I had to wait until the next gathering. Was the coyote at work?
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The next season of pinyon nuts was a hard time for our clan.  It was my twelfth year of pinyon nut harvest and the year that Grandfather Tro-Kay died.  He loved the white people.  He was known by many by different names; Tro-Kay as a child, Chief Truckee by the military whites, and Old Chief Winnemucca by other bands of people and Grandfather to me.  Grandfather taught us right from wrong and told us to always be honest.  We were at the Pine Nut Mountains when he became ill.  He had been bitten on the hand by something, perhaps a tarantula, snake or a poison spider.  The shaman chanted his prayers, put medicine on the bite and gave him medicine to drink, but Grandfather Tro-Kay was an Wa’este, old man and he died. 

​The last time I saw Grandfather, his hair was as white as the underfeathers of the pelicans that nest on Pyramid Lake.  His face was creased and weathered like old bark, his thin fingers gnarled and twisted like limbs of an old tree.  They took him away wrapped in his rare mud hen blanket to a place nearby. They buried him with the American flag and rag he loved so much and with six of his best ponies so he would have good ponies to ride on his journey to the Spirit-Land.  Then they burned his karnee.  We mourned for two days. This was the first time I joined in the “Cry” ceremony.  Many of the warriors and Mothers would tell stories of Grandfather Tro-kay’s deeds some would make us laugh and some would make us cry.  When I thought about the time Grandfather helped me to make a shelter for my feather I would cry even harder because I had lost the feather.  The death of Grandfather was during the time of the nuga, so I had no chance to tap Detsin on the shoulder to see if he would dance with me. The coyote had tricked me.

​The next gathering was back at the Great Green River Water.  This time the Cedar clan was joining us.  Again, my chance to get Detsin to dance me was tricked away from me by the evil coyote.  The Moapa clan had had a hard winter and sickness raged within their camp. I prayed to buha that Detsin would not get sick.  The cui-ci gathering season went well.  Our yattahs were full of much dried cui-ci.  It was a good thing because the berry and root season was hit with a plague of locust.  The berries and roots were scarce so we ate locust. We traveled and ate less to make it through to the rabbit drives.  The rabbits would be thin this season because the locust ate their food too.  There was not a gathering for the rabbit drive this season. It would be a really hard winter. The coyote had tricked me again!
I prayed for Detsin and fretted over the dance so much that I began to dream of Detsin.  I dreamed that he would talk to me and only to me.  I dreamed that he would chose me for his wife. 

​It was the gathering of the pinyon nuts on my thirteenth season of pinyon harvest when I once again saw Detsin.  My mouth was dry, my eyes were wet, but I kept a sharp eye out as the Moapa clan came into our camp as the sun was setting.  I watched carefully for him.  When his father came into camp I thought for sure he would be with him, but he did not arrive until later and he was accompanying, Nova.  Nova was a girl the same number of seasons as I.  She was tall and thin with thick braids that reached down to her shoulder blades.  Her fingers were long and thin and often stained from working with the clay.  She was known for the beautiful pots that she was learning to make.  It was a rare craft among the Paiute to learn to make pottery. The women in her family had learned ages ago from the Navajo people how to make the pots. This craft was passed down in her family.  She was a much desired mate because of this craft.  Did this mean that Detsin was going to court Nova?  Oh, I thought I would die!

Later, when the round nuga started, I went to the corral.  I looked around, but could not find Detsin. But I did see Nova. She was already in the circle.  The leader approached me and I joined the circle trying to see Detsin among the crowd.  Soon the courting dance would begin and if Nova chose Detsin then it was possible that they were courting.  I would not know for sure they were courting until he took his blanket to her karnee.  I danced and prayed with all my heart that Nova would not ask Detsin to dance.  Detsin did not come to the corral until it was time for the courting dance.  He came and stood in the crowd of young braves who were waiting for their tap.  I had decided that I did not want to tap his shoulder if he and Nova were courting.  I waited and watched.  Then it happened the trickster coyote had tricked me again.  Nova tapped Detsin on the shoulder and they began to dance.  I decided not to participate in the courting dance until another time.  I would have to choose a different partner.  For two more sleeps, I watched the start of the courting dance and each sleep Nova chose Detsin for her partner.  I listened for talk and Detsin had not taken his blanket to Nova’s karnee for courting nor had his mother approached her mother for permission to marry.  I was so glad when this gathering time was over and we returned to the Pyramid Lake area.  I was sick of watching Detsin and Nova.  The trouble now was that I still dreamed of Detsin during the long, dark nights. The worst part of this trick was that Nova and Detsin were from the same clan so they would see each other all the time.  The courting could take place away from the gatherings.  I began watching to see if someone is watching me, so I could pick a new partner.

​The next gathering the coyote played his worst trick ever.  The first night of the nuga, Nova come to the corral wearing a pheasant feather.  At first, I thought it was my feather, but when I got close enough to look at it, the feather was not as long as mine and her feather did not have the white arrows pointing toward the vane.  I was so jealous of her. She had a pheasant feather and Detsin.  That coyote was playing really mean tricks on me.  Since the last gathering I had begun watching to see if anyone was watching me and I had caught the eye of Honi, who was in my clan.  I had decided to tap him on the shoulder at the dance this gathering, but I got so upset about the feather I did not dance the first sleep. Nova and Detsin danced together.  I listened to talk and Detsin had not taken his blanket to Nova’s to court yet.  The next two sleeps, I tapped Honi on the shoulder and danced with him.  Honi means bear. He was brave and he had his pita.  He was tall with broad shoulders and thick arms.  His legs were thick and he has feet were big.  He had the gentlest of spirits.  He was very good at natzi-saka, kick ball. Because of his size he could keep the mob off the ball and get in good kicks.  Honi would be a good mate.  He was good at hunting, better at wresting, and he could shake the pinyon trees better than any of the warriors.  After the gathering of the cui-ci season ended, Honi and I would greet each other regularly.  I would feel his eyes on me and I was afraid he would bring his blanket for courting.  I liked Honi, but I still dreamed of Detsin.  Sleep after sleep I prayed that Honi would not bring his courting blanket. I made up my mind I would try to tap Detsin shoulder to dance at the next gathering.

​It was the rabbit drives gathering and we were moving to the west for the drives. The rabbits were fat this season.  The Moapa were coming to join us in the deserts to the west.  This season would be different.  I would make my play for He-is-so.  This was the gathering for surprises.  The first surprise was that when it came time for the courting dance Nova picked Honi as her partner.  I hurried to where He-is-so was, hoping I would get there before another sister tapped his shoulder.  The wolf was at work.  I tapped his shoulder, he turned and smiled.  It was a smile that reached all the way to his eyes.  He gently held out his hand and quietly said “Aquene,” almost like a sigh.  The courting nuga was loud and active so there is not really a chance to talk, but once you danced with someone you were allowed to spend time with them.  We finished the courting dance and then we walked to my karnee, sat by the fire, sometimes with long silences, talked, and listened.  He told me that he had noticed me, that he had watched me, and that he was glad that I had tapped his shoulder to dance.   We danced, talked, sat through long silences, ate, and walked in the moonlight for the next two sleeps.  The next tabuaggena the rabbit drives began.  I watched He-is-so as he tapped his deer hoof to drive the rabbits to the nets.  I watched as he clubbed the rabbits and brought them to the Mothers for cleaning.  On occasion he would catch my eye and smile that big smile that reached all the way to his big, dark brown eyes.  I watched as he sweat from running from net to net.  It was during this time I prayed that his Mother would speak to Momma about marrying me.   The time of the rabbit drive came to an end too quickly.  On the last evening as the clans prepared to leave camp.  I turned from the yattah to find He-is-so standing behind me.  He said, “May the hummingbird that makes time stand still, make our time apart stand still.  Dream of me for I will dream of you.”  Then he turned and walked away.  My lashes were wet with tears. 
The next gathering would at gypsum sitting.  Would the Moapa clan be joining us that season?   Would the next gathering ever come?  Would He-is-so court me that gathering?  My mind was tormented.  I ached to be around him again.

​This season we went to the Sierra Nevada Mountains that are to the southwest.  We had travelled for one moon to meet the Moapa clan headed to the mountain also.  As the clan approached, I saw He-is-so standing tall next to his father.  His hair was braided into the two braids, then together down his back, his braid now touched his waist. He now wore a pita and was called a warrior.  He had grown taller this season.  His arms and legs were thicker.  It was good for my eyes to feast on him.  When my eyes reached his eyes, they were smiling brightly.   He said my name in a whisper that I think only I could hear.  Then he reached for my hand, I took his hand and we walked together without words for the rest of the journey.

​Upon reaching the Sierra Nevada Mountains we spent the first day setting up camp, but when evening came, He-is-so came to our karnee carrying his blanket and two sticks that were tied together. I had been dizzy all day with excitement at being with him again.  I cried silent, happy tears as he approached our tent.  We would set on the blanket outside the karnee tonight rather than joining the round nuga.  He greeted me with my name, “peace,” which was sweeter than honey to my ears.  It made my insides shake.  For only when a warrior wants to marry you does he change your name to its meaning.  He then spread the blanket out and held my hand as I seated myself, then he joined me.  We talked for a while about the things that happened while we were apart.  We expressed how much we had missed each other, then he drew the two sticks from under the edge of the blanket.  He slowly untied the sage bark straps and pulled the two sticks apart.  I was in shock!  There on the stick lay my feather! The feather I had long ago thought was gone. That the Great Green River Water had carried away. He-is-so had my feather!  I looked close and sure enough, there was the white arrows.  It was then that he told me that he had long ago seen the feather fly from my hair as I danced.  He had picked it up with the plan of giving it to me later.  He said, as he slept that night he dreamed that he should keep the feather until a later time.  So he made the shelter for the feather and kept it.  He told me that he and Nova were friends and that Nova had known all along that he was interested in me.  He had shown Nova the feather and she had asked her father to find one for her.  He said it had been Nova’s idea to ask Honi to dance in hopes that I would tap his shoulder.  He was also glad to know that Honi had taken his blanket to Nova’s karnee.  He knew that Nova liked Honi very much and as was hoping he would bring his blanket. 

​The next tabuaggena, He-is-so’s Mother came to speak with Momma.  It was agreed that we were to marry.  Courting by a Paiute warrior means demonstrating their prowess as a hunter.  The first night He-is-so slept on the outskirts of our karnee.  Then the next day he went home to his karnee, but he returned that night and slept outside the opening of the karnee.  The next night he returned and slept inside the opening of the karnee.  It was cool outside so I was glad he was inside so the heat of the fire would keep him warm.  The morning of the fourth day he brought a mountain sheep for me to cook and serve to him.  I had to ask Momma many questions while cooking because mountain sheep was a rare treat and something I had never cooked.  That night he slept beside me.  On the fifth day he declared that he would live with and care for my parents until our family was large enough to warrant a karnee of our own.  He returned with us to Pyramid Lake.